


The Elf. The Mage. The First. The Herald. The Inquisitor.

by LittleGrowl



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-06 07:52:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3126830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGrowl/pseuds/LittleGrowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just as a disclaimer, this is my first fanfic, I'm not a fiction writer but I was inspired by all the wonderful stories I've read on here so I thought I would give it a try and share the story of my inquisitor. I will be following the game's story very closely, adding in the history I imagined to for my Lavellan, more romance scenes with the handsome Commander, and more reactions/dialogue/etc. after major story decisions. </p><p>The rating may change as the story progresses, we'll see how confident I feel. :) Also, I may or may not change the title if I think of something better.</p><p>*Contains Spoilers- both main story and Cullen romance**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: The Breach

**Author's Note:**

> These first couple chapters cover "the journey to Haven" so to speak, once at Haven, things will pick up and we'll learn a little of Willa Lavellan's past.

### Chapter 1: The Breach

She awoke to the sensation of an unfamiliar kind of pain radiating throughout her body. Looking down at her hand, which seemed to be the source of her recent discomfort, she noticed a strange mark that hadn't been there before. Raising her head from the cold, heavy metal shackles that bound her wrists, she surveyed her surroundings. The elf was in the center of a damp and dimly lit cell, and while she couldn't see them she could feel the presence of guards. _How did I get here? And where is 'here' for that matter?_

Two women entered the room and approached her, hints of anger, loss, and distrust in their faces. _I am going to die in here..._ "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now. The conclave is destroyed, everyone is dead...except for you." said the women with the short dark hair. The sharp angles of her face made the seriousness of her tone all the more menacing. _They're definitely going to kill me._

 "And you think I did it?" she answered with incredulity in her voice. _Of course the shems would immediately assume I'm guilty, they've blamed elves for far less and with even less reason, why am I surprised?_  

The women reached for her cuffed hand, "Explain this."

  _She must mean this mark on my hand._ "I - I can't."

 "What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know what that is, or how it got there."

"You're lying!" Certain she was about to be on the receiving end of this woman's anger, the elf braced herself for a blow that never came. 

The red-haired woman with porcelain skin finally spoke. Her face had a gentleness about it that the other woman's lacked, but its expression was no less serious. "We need her, Cassandra."

"I don't understand."

The hooded woman addressed her again with less harshness in her tone. "Do you remember what happened? How this began?”

 _Think Willa, think...what was the last thing you remember?_ “I remember running, things were chasing me..." she recalled. A flash of her memory depicted the nasty creatures chasing her, biting at her heels. She shuddered, _of all the things to remember I had to remember that._ "...there was...a woman.“ She continued, almost as if asking a question.

" _A woman_?" There was a look of surprise and intrigue on the red head's face.

 _Yes, there was that figure of a woman who looked like she was made of light, she seemed to be helping me._ "She..... reached out to me... but then...." Nothing. That was all that was left of her memory of what had happened. _Who was that woman of light, did she do this to my hand?_

With resignation in her voice, Cassandra sighed, "Go to the forward camp Leliana, I will take her to the rift."

Still lost in her confusion, Willa asked the woman, who was now releasing her from the shackles bounding her wrists, "What _did_ happen?"

Noticing the earnest look on the elf's face, Cassandra replied more calmly. "It will be easier to show you."

 The brightness of outside was a drastic contrast to where she had been. She shielded her eyes to allow them time to adjust and when they did she turned to look up at the sky. _Is that a hole in the sky?_ She was filled with shock and awe at the horrifying, and strangely beautiful sight before her. 'The Breach' Cassandra had called it.

 A crackle and flash of green light snapped her back into reality. She dropped to her knees as searing pain spread over her. The pain was deafening, it was cold, but it burned and somehow felt empty. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, far worse than the pain of receiving her _vallaslin_ which marked her cheeks and her chest. She only heard bits and pieces of what Cassandra had been saying but she caught enough to know that the mark on her hand was somehow connected to the hole in the sky, when the breach grew her mark spread, and it was killing her. 

Cassandra seemed to think the mark would be able to close the breach. "If I do this, will I live through it?" It was clear from the look upon Cassandra's face that she could not say one way or the other, and she said as much. Going through with this was her best chance at surviving and freeing herself from her captors.

As they walked along Willa could feel the accusatory stares of _shems_ on either side of her. As if sensing her discomfort and confusion Cassandra explained, "They have decided your guilt, they need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the chantry. The conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."

She had been sent to spy on the proceedings by her Keeper. The Dalish may not have been involved with the ongoing war between the mages and templars, but they would nevertheless feel its effects. Thus, Willa had been sent to the conclave to observe the talks and send word back in case the talks didn't go well, in which case the clan would be able to act quickly to avoid any ramifications.

They stopped walking after passing through a large gate. Cassandra turned to her and pulled out a knife. Her breath hitched as a she felt a twinge of fear, unsure what this woman intended to do with the knife. She was relieved to find it was being used to cut the ropes around her wrists. Rubbing her sore wrists, they continued to walk.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Your mark must be tested, on something far smaller than the Breach." Cassandra stated matter-of-factly. 

Walking along the dirt path Willa passed several burning carts and more than one soldier with a eyes clouded with fear. She was filled with an overwhelming sense of guilt; she had survived some unthinkable horror and had no memory of it. Her guilt was short-lived and was replaced by another rush of pain as her hand flared green and brought her to her knees. _I don't know how much more of this I can take._ Cassandra helped her to her feet again with what looked like pity in her eyes. _Does she believe I'm innocent? Please let her believe, someone has to believe me._

The bridge beneath their feet crumbled from the impact of a rock that fell from the sky. The collapse caused them both to tumble down alongside the rubble until they landed with a thud on the hard ice below. As soon as they hit the ground, a glowing green ball shot down in front of them. Cassandra already had her sword and shield in hand as she moved forward, ready to fight. "Stay behind me!" she shouted as she made her way to the shade that had just appeared. A moment later a second shade emerged behind the warrior's back, eyes locking onto the unarmed elf in front of it. 

Willa looked around quickly for anything that might aid her and reached for the staff laying to her left. _Thank the Creators for my luck._ While it was unnecessary for her to have a staff to be deadly, having one did make her far more effective in battle. After making short work of the demon, she walked towards Cassandra feeling accomplished and was met with a sword pointed at her. "Drop your weapon, now!", Cassandra's voice boomed.

"Do you really think I need a staff to be dangerous?", Willa replied. _That probably wasn't the best response._

"Is that supposed to reassure me?"

"I haven't used my magic on you yet," the mage said in an effort to gain some trust with Cassandra

With a heavy sigh Cassandra sheathed her weapon, "You are right. I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. I suppose I must trust you if we are to work together. I should remember you agreed to come willingly."

They continued on, battling demons along the way until they reached a landing where fighting could clearly be heard. "We must help them!"

"Help who?" Willa asked.

"You'll see."


	2. The Key to Our Salvation

They reached the fight and immediately Willa's gaze was drawn to the strange green rift overflowing with demons and magic. She snapped out of her transfixion with the light and began shooting waves of elemental magic at the demons around her. As the last one fell she heard an unfamiliar voice yell, "Quickly! Before more come through!" Just then the elf that had been fighting alongside her grabbed her marked hand and pushed it towards the rift. Willa prepared herself for the wave of pain she was sure would come as the magic flowed between her and the rift. Relief washed over her as the rift closed and no pain was felt.

"What did you do?" she asked the elf as she pulled her hand away.

_"I_ did nothing," he replied with small smile, "The credit is yours."

"I closed that thing?"

"Whatever magic opened the Breach, also put that mark upon your hand. I theorized that the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake, and it seems I was correct," the elf explained.

Cassandra chimed in with an unexpected degree of optimism, "Meaning it  _could_  also close the Breach itself!"

The elf smiled back at Willa, "it seems you hold the key to our salvation." _Wonderful...no pressure at all._

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever," said the dwarf she had forgotten was there. He continued, "Verric Tethras: Rogue, Storyteller, and occasional unwelcome tagalong." He looked over and gave the stone-faced warrior a wink. She did not look amused. _Hmm, I guess they know each other then._ She introduced herself and complimented the impressive crossbow that hung over the dwarf's shoulder. The crossbow's name was Bianca, she was informed. _He named his crossbow?_

The elf took this opportunity to introduce himself as well."My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept'," Varric added.

"Thank you..." Willa said. _How long was I asleep..._

"Thank me if we can close the Breach without it killing you," Solas replied.

After some arguing between Cassandra and Varric, the warrior reluctantly agreed to let the rogue and mage join them. "We should get to the forward camp as quickly as possible," Cassandra stated, she and Solas walked ahead. "Well, Bianca's excited," Varric remarked with a wry smile. Willa chuckled to herself and followed the group ahead of her. She knew right away she'd get along well with the dwarf.

 --------

When they finally reached the forward camp they were greeted by the red-haired woman, Leliana, and a very unpleasant clergyman. Cassandra joined in on the argument they were having and Willa lost herself in thought, half listening to the others bicker.

_Creators let this work, I need to get back to the clan, let them know what has happened. Do they already know, I don't know how long it has been since the explosion...I hope they don't think I've died. Who is this elf, he has no vallaslin, said he was an apostate...strong magic, like that of an elder, he looks young..._

More pain surged through her body as the mark on her hand lit up and crackled with the foreign magic. She was eager to get to this breach and try to seal it, anything to stop the unpredictable pain caused by the mark.

"What do you think?," Cassandra asked.

"What?" _Why are they asking me what I think?_

"How do you think we should proceed?" she repeated.

"I say we charge, I won't survive long enough for your trial, whatever happens, happens  _now_!" She was more than ready to get this over with. And so they proceeded forwards in the direction of the temple, or what was left of it.

Along the way they approached more men battling demons that were pouring out of another rift. While not a fan of the death and destruction it brought, Willa had always enjoyed the thrill of battle. She lost herself in it, wielding her magic with ease and moving gracefully throughout the battlefield, always aware of her surroundings. Soon all the demons were dead and Willa held up her mark towards the rift, sealing it with ease. She had always been quick to learn new magic, everything about magic felt so natural to her, so instinctual.

"Sealed as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this," Solas noted. She thought he sounded impressed, or perhaps he was still pleased with himself for correctly theorizing that her mark would close the rifts. "Let's hope it works on the big one," Varric added. The three of them walked over towards Cassandra. She was talking to one of the men that had been fighting alongside of them, the one dressed differently from the other soldiers. As they got closer she heard the man speak, "Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the rift. Good work." Willa rolled her eyes at his comment.

"Do not congratulate me, Commander, this is the prisoner's doing," Cassandra responded. _"The prisoner", great, I do have a name.._

"Is it?" The Commander sounded surprised. "I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here." 

_Well, aren't you a delight._ Her thoughts were full of sarcasm, however, she replied as friendly as possible, "You're not the only one hoping that." She really didn't need another _shem_ on her bad side if she hoped to go free at the end of all this. 

"We'll see soon enough, won't we?" _At least he's easy on the eyes..._


	3. Someone! Help me!

Moments later they were approaching the area of the temple where she was supposed to seal the Breach.  _Wait, the Breach is all the way up there...how do they expect me to get up there to close it?_

Cassandra walked around to face Willa, "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?" 

_Creators, yes, I just want this to be over!_ Looking back up at the Breach in the sky she answered,“I cannot even begin to think how to get up there.”

Pointing to the rift that was directly beneath the Breach, Solas stated, “This rift was the first, and it is the key. Close it, and you close the Breach.”

With that they made their way down to the rift, passing giant, glowing red crystals along the way. She could feel their energy, they made her uneasy. Varric seemed to be familiar with the substance. "Red lyrium" he called it.  _Perhaps when this is over I can ask him more about this stuff._ Out of nowhere a man's voice spoke out, "Keep the sacrifice still." The voice sounded dark and unnatural. After a few more steps, another voice rang out, "Someone! Help me!" Cassandra stood there in disbelief, "That was Divine Justinia."

"Someone! Help me!" the voice repeated. They jumped off a small ledge and were finally staring the rift. Standing in front of the rift, the voice cried out once more, "Someone! Help me!", only this time it was followed by another voice. "What's going on here?"  _That's my voice, what was I doing?_ Clearly shocked Cassandra spoke, "That was  _your_  voice! Most Holy called out to you! But..." Just then the mark began to glow, suddenly Willa was somewhere else.

In front of her was Divine Justinia, red tendrils of magic wrapping around the woman's outstretched arms, holding her above ground. She looked like she was in pain. There was a dark figure in front of the elderly woman that seemed to be the one wielding the magic. Willa watched as she saw herself running towards the Divine. "What's going on here?" she heard herself say.  _Am I dreaming this?_ Justinia turned to the elf and called out with urgency, "Run while you can! Warn them!" The same menacing voice spoke out again, "We have an intruder! Slay the elf!"

As the vision fades away, Willa is berated with questions from Cassandra, "You were  _there_! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?!" Willa had no answers to give her, "I don't remember!"  _Don't they think that if I_ did  _know something I would tell them?_ Solas rested his hand on the noticeably agitated elf, "Echoes of what happened here. The Fade bleeds into this place." He lingered for a second before turning to address Cassandra, "This rift is not sealed, but it is closed... albeit temporarily. I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side."  _Well this certainly sounds like a safe plan._

Cassandra ordered the soldiers stationed around them to ready themselves for the demons that were bound to come through. With everyone ready for whatever assault they were to face, Willa stood before the rift. She took a deep breath and held her hand up to open the rift.  _This is a fight, just like any other fight, you'll be fine._ The rift glowed brightly and through the blinding light there emerged a massive figure.

She had never seen a demon before this day, at least not one in person. The Keeper had shown her crudely drawn pictures of various types of demons a long time ago, but no pictures could have prepared her for the monster looking down at her. This was a pride demon, she recalled as she stood there frozen in horror at the unsightly beast. Thankfully, Cassandra's war cry echoed around them, catching the demon's attention and sending Willa into attack mode. She felt the familiar tingle of magic surround her as Solas casted a barrier of protection around them. Quickly they spread out and began attacking with full force.

Channeling the essence of the crystal in her staff, Willa focused her magic at her core and released powerful streams of fire from her chest. As they rained down on, each hitting their mark, the demon let out a deep guttural noise from the pain. Then it let out a laugh. A taunting laugh that was sure to haunt her for quite some time. She noticed the arrows being sent down from the surrounding archers bounced off the demons back.  _Did he just generate some kind of shield?_ Someone shouted at her to disrupt the rift, she wasn't sure who said it but she figured there was no harm in doing so. The disruption melted away the newly formed guard and weakened the demon in the process.  _Hmm, good to know._

They dodged the ropes of electricity the pride demon whipped at them, took out the handful of shades that crept through, and Willa continued to disrupt the rift whenever she noticed the arrows falling to the ground. It felt like they had been fighting for hours and exhaustion was slowly creeping in on them all.  _Will this thing ever die?_

Finally the demon fell to the ground.  _Thank the Creators. Now I can seal this thing and be done._ Willa held her hand up with confidence, but this rift didn't feel like the other ones she had closed earlier. It pulled at her and sent the same unbearable pain she'd felt before rippling through her exhausted body.  _I can't do this!_ With the last bit of strength she could muster, she pulled back, no longer concerned with sealing the rift; her only goal was to free herself from it. As she pulled against it with all that was left of her, darkness closed in on her and then there was nothing.


	4. The Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peak into Willa's past.

Blades of grass between her toes, beams of sunlight breaking through the trees to warm her cheeks, the smell of trees - Willa opened her eyes. Smiling, she eagerly continued on the path she'd walked a thousand times that would lead her to the cave. Her cave. Her favorite place in all of Thedas. The clan had just moved and Willa had wasted no time exploring the surrounding forest. One particularly warm afternoon she decided to go for a swim in one of the nearby watering holes. That's when she spotted the waterfall; it was beautiful. As she swam closer she noticed that the stone surrounding the falling water had formed themselves into steps. "How convenient," she remembered thinking, "that will make climbing to the top even easier." She had always loved climbing things, much to the Keeper's dismay. As she reached the top of the staircase of stone Willa discovered the cave hidden behind the falls. It was a perfectly sized nook tucked away from the rest of the world and it was hers. Every moment of free time she had was spent inside that cave reading, napping, daydreaming.

Willa now approached the waterfall that concealed her private retreat. The movement of a shadow caught her eye, someone was in her cave. He was in her cave. The only other person she had shared her beloved spot with, and he was waiting for her. Her heart fluttered as she walked up the steps to greet him.

"Elias!" she said excitedly as her arms wrapped around his neck. He smelled like rough leather and ironbark, she breathed him in. They had been best friends all throughout their childhood. As they grew older, Willa noticed how handsome he had become. Tanned skin covered his body that had been sculpted by years of hunting, his jade eyes sparkled with specks of gold, dark strands of hair framed his face. "Has he always been so attractive?" she had wondered. She was not the only one to notice the other's looks as she had blossomed into beautiful young woman. After weeks of awkward attempts at flirting Willa stopped him in the middle of one of their walks and kissed him, catching him off guard. Her face quickly turned red from embarrassment when he jerked back in shock; relief washed over her as Elias pulled her to his chest and kissed her like he had wanted to for so long.

" _Emma lath_ , you're here! I was starting to worry that you weren't going to come," Elias greeted her.

" _Abelas_ , Keeper Deshanna kept me longer today. Besides," she smiled, "you know I will always come to you."

He kissed her before gesturing towards the inside of the cave, "Shall we?"

With a flick of her wrist, Willa produced a mage light to illuminate their hideaway. There were blankets spread out over the cold stone floor and a small basket that was covered by a piece of cloth. She remembered this day so vividly. They were 17 years-old and it was the day before she was to receive her  _vallaslin_. He had slipped her note that morning that read, " _Meet me after your lessons with the Keeper, I have a surprise_."

They sat down on the soft blankets next to one another. Elias reached for the small basket and after placing it into her hands he pulled away the cloth to reveal its contents. "Blueberries!", she exclaimed, "How did you find these?" She loved blueberries, but when the clan had moved this last time she hadn't been able to find a single one.

"I stumbled upon them during the hunt from last week. We scouted farther away than usual and as we were turning around to make our return journey I saw them."

"You mean you carried these all the way back here? Wasn't that like a three day journey you guys made to get home?", she asked.

Elias grinned, "Well they  _are_ your favorite."

They sat there laughing and indulging in the delicious basket of berries. As she popped the last one in her mouth he said, "I have something else for you, it's nothing special but I thought you might like to have it."

Willa raised her eyebrow as she looked at the boy in front of her, her mouth slowly curling into a smile, "Well, now you're just spoiling me."

He pulled out a small piece of leather from his pocket and handed it to her. "It's so soft," she said, "but why are you giving me a piece of leather?"

"I had that in my hand when I received my  _vallaslin_ ," he explained, "Whenever the pain was getting to be too much I rubbed my thumb over its surface and tried to focus on the softness of the leather. It helped me through it." He paused before continuing, "I thought you could use it to help you get through the pain." That tiny scrap of leather had brought her so much comfort since then.  

Her heart filled with warmth, she reached up and brought his face to hers, kissing him gently. Pulling away she rested her forehead against his, " _Ma'arlath"_ , she whispered. Yes, this was a day she would always remember; it was the day they first gave themselves to one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vallaslin - blood writing  
> emma lath - my love  
> abelas - sorrow, also used as an apology  
> ma'arlath - I love you


	5. The Herald of Andraste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More story bits, I promise things will pick up soon.

Willa smiled as she started to wake up, warm and comfortable. She sat up and opened her eyes, taking notice of her surroundings, the sadness that resided in her heart returning. Dreams of him were always bittersweet. As she tried to clear her mind of the memories from long ago, a servant girl walked through the door. She was a tiny thing, an elf, an incredibly apologetic and nervous elf. Seeing Willa awake and upright startled the poor girl, causing her to drop what she had been carrying.

“I didn’t know you were awake, I swear!,” the girl said.

"It's ok, I've...," Willa began to say, hoping to calm the poor servant down. _Is she afraid of me?_

The small elf fell to her knees, interrupting Willa, "I beg for your forgiveness, and your blessing… I am but a humble servant. You’re in Haven, my lady. They say you saved us…” _My blessing?_

"Then we're safe", Willa replied. _Did I close the thing after all? Can I return home now?_

“The Breach is not gone, but that’s what they say,” the elf stood up quickly, nervousness renewed. _Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to be able to leave yet..._ The servant called out as she hastily made way her way to the door, “Lady Cassandra would like to see you, she’s at the Chantry. 'At once', she said.” And with that the elf scurried out of the hut leaving Willa alone. She took a moment to collect herself and then left to go find Cassandra.

A crowd of people had lined up on either side of a small pathway leading away from the hut. She made her way forward noting that this time there was a lack of accusatory staring. "That's her, that's the Herald of Andraste," she overheard someone in the crowd say. _Herald of Andraste?_ Willa quickened her step, eager to get away from the curious crowd of humans around her. She walked to the large building that she had correctly assumed was the Chantry.

The fighting could be heard as soon as she entered the Chantry. She walked towards the source of the noise until she reached the door at the end of the hallway, she could practically feel the hostility on the other side. After taking a deep breath she entered the room. The unpleasant clergyman she had met before greeted her, "Arrest her immediately! I want her taken to Val Royeaux for the trial.”  _Ugggggghhhhh, what an insufferable man._

“Disregard that, and leave us,” Cassandra commanded. The clearly uncomfortable guards were more than happy to follow her order. Willa watched them leave the room with envy. _Lucky fools._

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker," said the agitated man.

Cassandra's eyes narrowed as she retorted, “The Breach is stable, but remains a threat. I will  _not_  ignore it.”

"I'm still a suspect?", Willa asked incredulously. _After nearly killing myself to close the damn thing I'm still a suspect? Unbelievable._

"Most certainly yes," the red-faced man spat.

Cassandra quickly countered the man again, "No!"

Willa pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. _I haven't been awake for more than an hour and already these shems are giving me a headache._

"The Maker sent us her in our darkest hour," she heard the warrior say in between the waves of pain throbbing in her temples. _Sent by their Maker? Have these people lost their minds?_

"You do realize I'm Dalish," Willa remarked.

“I’m well aware of your origin. Regardless, you were exactly what we needed, when we needed it. The Breach remains, and your mark is our only hope of closing it.”

“That is not for you to decide!,” the cleric snapped at Cassandra.

“This is a writ from the Divine herself, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn,” Cassandra stated, raising her voice. “We will close the Breach, restore order, and find those responsible, with or without your approval.” She threw down a large, heavy looking book onto the table in front of them. The defeated cleric huffed before stomping out of the room.

“This is Divine’s directive – rebuild the Inquisition of old, find those who will stand against the chaos,” said Leliana ardently, “We aren’t ready; we have no numbers, no leader, no Chantry support.” 

“But we must act," Cassandra continued," ...with you at our side.” _There it is...I suppose I don't have much of a choice if I wish to make it home alive._

With that Willa shook the Seeker's hand, committing herself to the newly formed Inquisition. _creators give me strength....and patience._


	6. Introductions

Having some time to kill before Cassandra wanted to meet with her again, Willa decided she might as well take a look around Haven. She made her way back towards the small hut where she woke up and spotted Varric along the way.

"So, now that Cassandra's out of earshot, are you holding up alright?", Varric asked as she approached him. "I mean, you go from being the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful. Most people would have spread that out over more than one day."

"I'm just glad I'm still standing after all that."

"I'm still not sure how you survived Cassandra!" He chuckled, "You're lucky you were out cold for most of her frothing rage. For days now we've watched demons and Maker knows what fall out of the sky...bad for morale would be an understatement. I still can't believe anyone was in there and lived."

"I still can't believe any of this is actually happening."

"You might want to consider running at the first opportunity. I've written enough tragedies to recognize where this is going. Heroes are everywhere, I've seen that. But the hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes, we need a miracle. So, where are you headed anyway?"

"Well, it doesn't look like I'll be going home any time soon so I thought I'd try to learn my way around this place. Care to join me?", she said with a smile.

"Allow me to show you the most important place in Haven," he grinned.

"Lead the way."

After a short stroll, Willa found herself seated at a table in Haven's tavern with a mug of ale in front of her. They talked for a while, well he talked mostly, answering her questions about his time with Hawke and what he knew about red lyrium. For a brief moment she felt like she was at home, sitting around the campfire listening to the stories of her friends. "Thanks Varric, I needed that," she said as they left the tavern.

"Anytime, you know where to find me."

 

\-------

 

Willa found Cassandra waiting for her in front of the Chantry. As they walked to the back room Cassandra nodded towards Willa's hand, "Does it bother you?"

"It stopped spreading, and it doesn't hurt anymore, thankfully."

“We must take our victories where we can. What’s important is that your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You’ve given us time, and Solas believes a second attempt might succeed – provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place, that is not easy to come by."

“What harm could bring powering up something we barely understand?” _Other than the fact that it quite possibly will kill me._

"Hold on to that sense of humor," Cassandra responded. Willa was surprised to find a smile spreading across the Seeker's face.

Not one to waste time, Cassandra began introductions as soon as they had entered the room. There was Commander Cullen, whom she had briefly encountered at the Temple, and he was going to serve as the leader of the Inquisition's forces. _Hmm, he seems considerably more pleasant than at the Temple._ The new face belonged to Lady Josephine Montilyet, the Inquisition's ambassador and chief diplomat. Willa was pleasantly surprised by the formal elven greeting Josephine offered her. _Clearly this woman is good at her job._ And lastly, Sister Leliana the spymaster.

With introductions out of the way, Cassandra moved right on to business, "I mentioned that your mark will need more power to close the Breach for good." Leliana and the Commander resumed an argument they had obviously already been having.

Leliana spoke first, "Which means we're going to need to approach the rebel mages for help."

"And I  _STILL_  disagree. The Templars could serve just as well," Cullen argued.

Cassandra sighed, "We need  _power_ , Commander. Enough magic poured into that mark - "

"Might destroy us all! Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so - "

"Pure speculation", the spymaster interjected.

" _I_  was a Templar! I know what they're capable of."

Her ears twitched at the sudden appearance of a threat and she slowly took a step back towards the door, her voice uneasy, "You're a Templar?" There was no hiding the discomfort that had overcome the elf. _'Whatever you do da'len, stay far away from Templars. They cannot be trusted.' Fenedhis, the one thing the Keeper warned me to avoid and here I am in the same room with one...and he's staring at me...Creators, they're all staring me!_

"Ex-Templar," Cullen clarified. Noticing the clarification did little to alleviate the elf's apprehension, he continued, "I am no longer with the Order. I know you are a mage, but I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I am here to help."

Willa relaxed at the now softened features of his face and the sincereness in his voice, then returned her attention to the matter at hand. However she made cautious glances at him for the rest of the meeting, and caught him looking at her on more than one occasion.

"Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet," Josephine stated before turning to look at Willa. "The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition... and you specifically."

_What a surprise..._ "Well that didn't take long."

Josephine continued, "Some are calling you, a Dalish elf, the Herald of Andraste, and that frightens the Chantry. The remaining Clerics have declared it blasphemy, and  _we_ heretics for harboring you."

"Just how am _I_ the Herald of Andraste?" _They cannot be serious, I don't even believe in the Maker._

"People saw what you did at the Temple, how you stopped the Breach from growing," Cassandra explained, "They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste."

Cullen looked over to Willa and smiled at her. "Quite the title, isn't it?" _Was he this handsome at the Temple?_

The meeting continued and at its conclusion Willa had a substantial list of things to do. Meet with the cleric named Mother Giselle, speak with the horse master, recruit agents, try to gain some influence in the area, search for any useful resources, help set up camps.... She was to set off to the Hinterlands first thing in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> da'len - Litte One (a term of endearment)  
> fenedhis - common curse, literally a wolf's private parts (http://fenxshiral.tumblr.com/tagged/project+elvhen)


	7. Making the Commander Blush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He really is adorable when he stumbles over his words.

After the meeting with her new advisors, Willa was eager to return outdoors. She spent the next few hours exploring the outskirts of Haven. The brief excursion proved to be quite fruitful; she had found a logging stand, several iron deposits, a set of notes that she remembered the alchemist mentioning, and had collected a small heap of elfroot. As she walked along the path into Haven she spotted the golden hair and deep red robes belonging to the Commander. Before she knew it Willa was approaching him. _What are you doing? You don't know that he can actually be trusted.....but I can't very well determine if he is a threat without talking to him....you know this is foolish, he's still going to have ties with the Templars....shit, he sees me if I turn around now it will look weird..._

“We’ve received a number of recruits from Haven and some pilgrims. Although none made quite the entrance you did," Cullen commented as she came to stand beside him.

“What can I say, I like to stand out.”

“That you did," a fleeting half-smile emerging on his face, "I was recruited into the Inquisition in Kirkwall, myself. I was there during the Mage uprising. I saw firsthand the devastation it caused. Cassandra had a solution. When she offered me a position, I left the Templars to join her cause. Now it seems we are facing something far worse." _...that smile, Creators that smile..that face..that scar...that bod-stop undressing him with your eyes, stop undressing him.._

“The Conclave's destroyed and there's a giant hole in the sky... things aren't looking good,” Willa responded, suddenly feeling a little more nervous than she had previously been.

“The chantry lost control of both the Templars and the mages, and now they’re bickering over who the new divine will be while the Breach remains. The Inquisition could act where the Chantry could not, our followers would be a part of that. There's so much-", the enthusiasm in his voice increasing with every word before he caught himself getting carried away, "Forgive me, you probably didn't stop by for a lecture.” _Adorable._

“No, but if you have one prepared, I’d love to hear it,” Willa grinned up at him.  

"Another time, perhaps," a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he looked away from her.

"Before coming here, my Keeper suggested I avoid Templars. Do they do anything besides hunt mages?" _Yes, back to the task at hand: assess the threat level._

"Templars protect against the dangers of magic. Before the Order left the Chantry, that meant serving in a Circle. They were also tasked with tracking apostates or fighting demons inevitably summoned by the weak or malicious."

"What do _you_ think of mages? Are they all a threat?"

"I've seen the suffering magic can inflict. I've treated mages with distrust because of it -- at times without cause. That was unworthy of me. I will try not to do so here."  

"Oh I see," Willa said, feeling somewhat deflated. "So, do Templars take vows? 'I swear to the Maker to watch all the mages' -- that sort of thing?"

"There's a vigil first. You're meant to be at peace during that time, but your life is about to change. When it's over, you give yourself to a life of service. That's when you're given a philter -- your first draught of lyrium -- and its power," he responded, "As Templars, we are not to seek wealth or acknowledgement. Our lives belong to the Maker and the path we have chosen."

Willa had always had a bad habit of purposely making humans she interacted with fluster, especially male humans. Keeper Istimaethoriel had to chastise her nearly every time they met with humans to trade, though Willa had on occasion caught the Keeper attempting to keep a straight face. So, when the perfect opportunity to cause the Inquisition's Commander to stumble over his words presented itself, she just had to take it.

"A life of service and sacrifice. Are Templars also expected to give up...physical temptations?", she asked coyly.

"Physical? Why..", he cleared his throat, his cheeks now tinged red, "Why would you... That's not expected. Templars can marry -- a-although there are rules around it, and the Order must grant permission... Some may choose to give up more to prove their devotion, but it's, um, not required."

"Have you?"

"Me? I...um...no. I've taken no such vows. Maker's breath-- can we speak of something else?" She had not anticipated how endearing his embarrassment would be. _Willa Lavellan, you are treading in dangerous waters...dangerous, handsome waters..._

"Actually, I should let you get back to work and I should probably pack for my journey to the Hinterlands in morning." She quickly turned and walked to her room, hoping he hadn't noticed the blush now forming on her own cheeks.

"Was she...flirting with me?", Cullen wondered as he watched her walk away, taking a moment to admire the view. "She is a Dalish mage and you are a human ex-Templar, she will never think of you that way." He sighed and walked back over to where his recruits were training.


	8. Dangerous Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I thought the story could use a dash of spice, I hope you enjoy. Also, I changed the rating just to be safe.

Soft lips pressed against her own, his warm tongue forcing its way into her mouth, giving her a taste of what he was capable of doing with it. He took her bottom lip between his teeth as he slowly pulled away. She ran her fingers through his hair and brought his face back to hers, flicking her tongue along the scar on his upper lip. He let out a breathy chuckle as he let her enjoy a brief moment of control before he reclaimed it.

Pushing his body against hers, he walked forwards until her back was pressed into the wall. In one fluid movement he had pinned her hands above her head and positioned himself so that one leg was between hers, allowing her to feel his arousal. He looked down at her with a devious smile, delighting in the heat radiating from her body.

Bending down, he lightly traced a line along her throat and up to her chin with the tip of his tongue. His lips lingered just above hers, a brief tease before they made their way to her neck. Desire building within her at every kiss and nibble he placed up her neck. A moan escaped her lips at the sensation of his tongue gliding along the outside of her pointed ear. A shiver ran down her spine as he took the tip of it into his warm mouth. She gasped, now barely able to stand on her own, " _Garas, aman na’mis."_

Willa shot up in her bed, heart racing and cheeks flushed with the sound of the Commander's lustful growl echoing in her mind. The colors of dawn shown through her cabin windows, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep. She put on her armor and quickly made her way outside in hopes that the cold air might neutralize the heat of desire left by her dream. _Thank the Creators we're leaving to go to the Hinterlands this morning, I'll never be able to look him in the eyes now._

 

\-------

 

Willa walked along enjoying the morning peacefulness. She spotted Solas up a short set of stairs and headed in his direction. _He's up early._

“The chosen of Andraste, a blessed hero sent to save us all,” Solas said, looking amused.

“Am I riding on a shining steed as well?”

“I would have suggested a griffon, but sadly, they’re extinct." For a brief moment Willa noticed the curious expression on his face. Solas looked nostalgic, as if he were recalling fond memories, his own memories, of a time when griffons still existed. "...Joke as you will, posturing is necessary.”

Solas walked around until he was looking out over the small village of Haven before he continued. “I’ve journeyed deep into the fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilizations. I’ve watched as hosts of spirits clash to re-enact the bloody past in ancient wars both famous and forgotten. Every great war has it heroes. I’m just curious what kind you’ll be.”

 “What do you mean, ruins and battlefields?”, Willa asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Any building strong enough to withstand the rigors of time has a history. Every battlefield is steeped in death. Both attract spirits. They press against the Veil, weakening the barrier between worlds. When I dream in such places, I go deep into the Fade. I can find memories no other living being has ever seen.”

“You sleep in the middle of ancient ruins? Isn’t that dangerous?”

A small smile formed on his lips. “I  _do_  set wards. And if you leave food out for the giant spiders, they are usually content to live and let live.” 

 “I’ve never heard of anyone going so far into the Fade, that’s simply extraordinary… “ It was certainly an impressive ability, and Willa envied it.

“Thank you. It’s not a common field of study, for obvious reasons. Not so flashy as throwing fire or lightning. The thrill of finding remnants of a thousand-year-old dream? I would not trade it for anything”

"Nor would I." They stood there in comfortable silence for some time until the sounds of people beginning their day filled the air. "I suppose we should get our things and set off for the Hinterlands."  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Garas, aman na’mis - Come to me, I shall sheathe your blade, basically the elvish way of saying "Fuck me" (thank you again http://fenxshiral.tumblr.com/tagged/project+elvhen)


End file.
